Energy Conservation Could Save SBSP Sector $30 Billion Annually

Investing in energy conservation in small commercial buildings can generate $30 billion in annual cost savings and improved financial performance, according to a study by the Preservation Green Lab, a project of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The Small Buildings and Small Portfolios (SBSP) sector contains 95 percent of all commercial buildings by number and represents 47 percent of the energy consumption in all non-mall commercial buildings. However, this building stock has received little attention in the growing energy efficiency marketplace compared to larger and institutionally owned counterparts, in part because of the market’s vast scale, physical diversity, and the disparate interests of its stakeholders.

The report finds that potential energy savings in small buildings range from 27 to 59 percent, depending on the building type. This represents 1.07 quadrillion Btu annually or 17 percent of commercial energy use.